Contouring machine



Aug. 8, 1950 R. B. LUCKENBACH CONTOURING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 51, 1945 R. B. LUCKENBACH Aug. 8, 1950 CONTOURING MACHINE 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1945 Aug. 8, 1950 R. B. LUCKENBACHCONTOURING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 51, 1945 Raw @r g- 1950R. B. LUCKENB'ACH 7,901

CONTOURING' MACHINE Filed Jan. 31, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 regularcontourseutting,

s ch s -nemw s tw d sefl ie t v I Fig.5 is a section on line --5:of Fig.

- h nv r h t. was" 'srmach m t rial. ana @6 4 and moreyarticularly to anapparatus. tor ut, ting .fro n sheets or vstripsef n aterial such aswood, plastic... or metal, articlespf 'gular-form.

An-importantpbject oi the 'nvent onistheprola a ph new is. wit ta ssm hn s w m t rea i y. mad m y :b adaptedior-cutting various ir egular formsfrom i 1; on

sheet material and: which; W

of this-character ofanarrangemen herehylhoth the sheet :or strip and thepiece ysevered' there:-

trbmg a s ver fim yah ldwdu ins the s n v operation.

Still another; qhjecttherovisionioi a i d :1

and revf means r'r enmr ins-an id n an endless cutter: bearing chain foretfectingir- A still further: bieQti-s theiprovisiongef nov and improvedcutterstfoi 9.156 in conneetien.

in an t r l i atete -a: E -Q* ms.- sible chatter. l

These. and other objects I.-attai-n;by the eonstruction shown in.theaccompanying drawings,

'wherein ior the purpose of. illustration vI have showna preferredembodiment-oi my invention and wherein zv Fig. -1 is alongitudinal-sectional view through a contouringmachi-ne constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a'sectiononline '2- --2 of'Fig. :1 Fig. 3 is anenlargedsection on line 3 8 of Fig.41isasection'onpline4-4' of Fig 1.

through one Fig. 5a is a'verticalvsection guide supports;

Fig. 6 is a perspective nf th e ings, the numeral "I O generallydesignatesa 1'hase from which, through standards Una Work sup port [2issupported. This;wcrksupporu-ior-a purpose. which will presentlyappear; isprovided with a vren-i-ovtuole and replaceablescover sheetiorstrin 1-3 which may be, if sodesirecl,-;of; same r roller sections-ofthe upperand lower ring sections r which the machine is in tended-to actstandardsll arearranged-at each of four corners of the base, andsupported'in bearings, carried-thy thebase and standards,

are vertically directed shafts 15 having their vupper ends threadegi asindicatedat i6. Mounted upon the threaded(upper end portion 15 of eachshaft is a nut H supporting one corner of a mine l-8. jl he supper-ting,onnection between nut; I?

i and irameViB-is, due-mpossible slight misalign ments iof the shaftorslightdeflections ,oi the shaft, (in the {0132p .ef girnlqal rings ltisee Fig; '3)\ :Thestandards a l 1, are preferably in the form of rticalguides against'whichguide rollers secured to the outer ring ofthegimbal-jointabut sothat; the .trame 18 may be firmly held againstdisplacernent. i 3:

. supiwrtedby theiramedjli andpa-ralleling the Work support, :I his ahead :plate 24 mounting the cutter assembly 22. This cutter assembly*com prises sprocket ohain fl eachlink of whibh u preferably comprises a1 plurality; "of vertically spaced rel'lerv sections 16:, 23b and. Memounted ugon'common pivots; The headset upp'er ends of w-thegrpi-vptsmount 511311617824 engaging the under surface, at lete 24 whilethe lowerends thereof -mouaatrtool sockets 25 bearing scoringor routing (tools;indicated atifiahd .2 respectively. The chain-23 is guided in itsmovement by interior-1y *and-exteriofly disposed guide members 28 and:20 (see Fig. 4) which areyaa'ranged 1 in vertically spaced pairs in;position aux-engagement with the ..23a;and--2'3c of the chain theseguides -beingprovi'decl ing-sufiicient hum-berto insure travel of therehain-upon a predetermined path. hs'atrpresent viewl of a working stripillustrating a partially cutoutcontoured piece of shown, the guidemembers-are in the form of flat sheets sunported from the "plate 2!through bolts 86.. spacers 3 i1' b,eing -.provided upon; the bolt to:amaintaih' the guides at their proper levels. In vadditibn totheir'ifunction as .guides, the guide iplates furthermore serveasa meansfor assisting *insuppcrti-n thelremaindeiaof the assembly dur- 1elevatibn-hf theframeirom the worlgsince, as -wii1 he hetetl,"fromanwinspection of Fig. =4 the .ieaves of .the chain are :of slightlygreater width gthefi'rth'diametegr f the-rolls and will accordingly Theheltssc are hollow and have slidahly diyrecteclq thereth-rough holddiown plungers 32,

gdownward movementof whichis limited-by astop 13.3 engaging the upperend otthe associated bolt "When-the ;'foot 34 of the plunger isdi sposedslightly r'lbfilmw the lower ends orthemutters fi and 2 time anglemembers, the inner sides of which .provide u plate or plates 38 as shownin the present illus I tration, this guide plate aligning with andengaging the central section 231) of the chain '23.

At a suitable point in its travel, the chain is engaged by drivingsprocket 31 which may, if'so desired and as shown in the presentinstance, serve as a guide for the chain during a portion of its travel.Sprocket 31 is secured to shaft 38 mounted in bearings 39 supported onthe upper surface'of 'plate ZII'ILikewise, supported from this plate isa drive motor 40 (Fig. '1) for shaft f The guiding means'for chain 23may take a variety of forms, one-of which is at present illustrated and,as will be noted, these forms may include relatively sharp arcuatecurves, that at present illustrated being the'form for a seat for achild's toy. The scoring and routing tools employed must be of suchcharacter that they may operate about such curves and to this end, theoperative portions of these tools have their side faces arcuately curvedin the direction of travel upon-arcs having aradius substantially thatof,

receive a keel 43 on the lower face of the routing cutter 21. Thesecutters are alternated in the chain. In the present illustration, thereis direct alternation but in some instances, it may be desirable thatthese blades be disposed in alternate groups or in groups alternatedwith a single blade of the other type and it will be understood that itis in this sense that the term alternated is employed in the claims.

' Means are provided for operation of the shafts 15 to cause theassembly to move toward and away from the worksupport. In the presentinstance, the shafts l5 are shown as provided with a chain and sprocketconnection 44, the chain being driven from a motor 45 (see Figs. 1 and2). The motor 45 is mounted upon an oscillatory support 46 and isconnected through feed and reverse driving belts and 48 to a pulleyshaft 49 disposed centrally of and above the oscillatory support 46. "Asshown, the drive belts 41 and 48 extend to the shaft 49 from oppositeends'of the oscillatory platform with the result that upon oscillationof the platform, one of the belts 41 or 48 will be" tightened as theother is loosened.

This support is linked at 50 to one member 5| of a snap action toggle52, the second element of "which'is connected through a bell crank arm53"- -to a vertical rod 54 directed through a bracket 55 carried by onemember of frame I 8.

Through stops 56 secured to this rod and engaging the bracket, the'snapaction ofthe toggle may be brought into-play atdesiredpoints duringraising and lowering oi frame I8, and accordingly, of the assembly 22.Relative movement of the rod 54 and the frame l8 may likewise beemployed to operate switch 51 interrupting operation of the motor 40 asthe frame is being elevated to disengage the assembly from the work andrestarting the motor when travel of the assembly to the work commences.

In Fig. 1, the apparatushas been illustrated in the course of erformingthe cutting operation.

At this time, the direction of operation of worm shafts I5 is such thatthe frame l8 and accordingly the assembly 22 is being fed downwardly.

The scoring cutters produce the side kerfs, one of which provides aguide for the succeeding routing cutters and since the number of cuttersis multiplied, the downward feed may be made at a relatively rapid rate.When the assembly has been fed downwardly to a point where the blank Bhas been completely severed from the work piece W,

the bracket'55 has engagedthe lower stop 56 and depressed the same'sufilciently to cause a reversal of the'position of the togglemechanism 52, and

accordingly a reversal of position of the oscillatory support 46 and thedirection of drive of shafts ii. The final action-of rod 54 operatesswitch 5T'stop'ping'the assemblyLf'Shafts" f5-ar'e preferably operatedat Ia much higher speed during the retraction'of the assembly. As theassembly is elevating, the work piece is shifted to a new position andwhen the assembly reaches a predetermined raisedposition, the togglemechanism 52i's again actuated and switch 51 operated to restart theassembly 22. As the assembly lowers, the hold-down elements 34 come intoengagement with the'work piece and the'blank B prior-to engagement ofthe tools'therewith so that the work piece is veryfirmly heldj Since theconstruction *herei'n illustrated is obviously capable of considerablemodification 'without departing from the spirit of my invention, Idon'ot wish to*be understood-'as limiting myself thereto except'ashereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a contouring machine, a work support, a plurality of pairs ofelements-disposed normal to said work support and each having aplurality of vertically spaced bearing sections thereon,- "membersintermediate each of said bearingsections connecting th'eblenrents ofeachpair and-pivotally connecting said pairs of elements to form of saidpairs of 'elements. I

2. "-In a" contouring machine, "a work support, a

plurality of pairs of elements disposed normal to said work support andeachhaving a plurality of vertically spaced bearing sectionsthe'reon,members intermediate each of said bearing sections connecting theelements-of each pal-rand pivotally connecting said 'pairs of elementsto form there- 'With an endless chain, means to support and guide saidpairs of elementsfor movement serially through a predetermined endlesspath comprisingfixedly mounted guide members arranged to engagepredetermined bearing sections of said elements from at least one sideof said path, and tools carried by said pairs of elements arranged toengage work on said support.

' 3. In a contouring machine, a work-support, a plurality of pairs-ofelements disposed normal to said w'ork snpportand eachhaving'a pluralityof anomavertically spaced-hearings sections thereon, memhers.intemnediate each :of said bearing sections connecting the elementsofeach pairand pivotally connectin gsar dapairs of to formtherewithan-endless chaimmeans'to suppor'tand guide said pairs of,elements forQmqvement serially through a predetermined endlesspathcomprising fixedly mounted guide memhers arrangedto engagepredetermined.hearingsections or said sole merits, and drive mechanism, operable toactuate said pairs of elementsgas a group through said path. y; l

4 In .a contouring machine a-Wonk support, .a

plurality of pairs of elements disposed-normal to of said, elements,toolsicarried by said pairs of 1 elements arranged-to cngagemonkcnksaidlsupport, drive ,mcchanism operable; to .racftuate "said pairs ofelements asea group through said path,

means to bodily relatively shiit'lsai'd pairs of elee ments and: worksupport toicause said toolsxito engage and disengage. work the support,and mechanism automatically operahle in response to the position of thetools relative to the work for controlling operation of said driven'lechaniisn'r.

, :5. 'In :acontouringtmachine;a support, a 1' headxplate overlying saidwork supportparallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of elements disposedintermediate said plate and support normal thereto-land each havingaplura'lity of vertically spaced hearing sections thereon, member'sintermediate each of said bearing sections connecting the, elements ofeach ,pair and pivotallyconnecting said pairs of elements to formtherewith an endless chain, means tosupport and guide said pairsoiselements for movement serially through a predetermined endless pathcomprising guide members arrangedflt'o engage vpredeterminedbearingsections of said :elementsrifrom at least one side of the saidpath, drive mechanism operable to actuate :saidpairs of elements as agroup through said paths, anti'iriction means carried bysaid pairs ofelements and engaging said head plate, and tools carried by saidjpairsofelements and arranged to engagework on said support; E

6. Inwacontouri-ng machine, a workisupport a head plate overlying saidwork; support? parallel thereto, a plurality oigpairs of elementsdisposed intermediate said plate andsupport 1 normal thereto and eachhaving a plurality of vertically spaced bearing sections thereon,membersintermediate each of said bearing sections connecting theelements of each pair, andqpivotally connectingsaid pairs of elements toform therewith an endless chain, means to support and "guide said pairsof elements irom said head ,plateior movemerit serially through apredetermined endless path comprising guide members arranged to engagethe bearing sections of said elements from opposite sides of the saidpath,;drive mechanism operable to actuate said pairs ofelementsas-agroup through said path, anti-friction means carried by said pairs ofelements and engaging said head plate, tools carried by said pairs ofelementsand arranged to work on said support; and means t b d y l y-shthe eee l ee worksupport to cause said tools to engageiand disengagework on said support.

7. In a contouring machine, a, worksupport a head plate overlying, saidwork support parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of-elements disposedinter-mediatesaid ,plate and support normal thereto -andeachhaving aplurality of vertically spaced bearing sections thereon, membersintermediate each of said bearing sections connecting the elementsoieach,pair and ipivotally connecting said pairs ot elements to form therewithan endless chan -means to support and guide said pairs of elements fromsaid head plate for movement serially through a predeterminedendlesspath comprising guid-e lmembers arranged tol engage bearingsections of said velc-iments :irom opposite sidesei the said path, drivemechanism operable toactuatesaid pairs of elements as a group thr-o ghsaid path, anti-friction means carried by said pairs of elements andengaging said head plate, tools carried by said pairs of,.elements andarranged to engage work on said support, means to bodily relativelyshift the head plate and work support to cause said tools to engage: anddisengage work on said support, and spring urged hold down means carriedby said head plate arranged to engage and hold work on the support whileengaged by said tools,

8.. 1 11 a. contouring machine, a work support a head, plate overlyingsaid work support parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of elementsdisposed intermediate said plate and support normal thereto and eachhaving a plurality of vertically spaced bearinglsections thereon,members intermediate each, of said bearing sections connecting theelements of each pair and pivotally connectingisaid pairs of elements toform therewith an endless chain, means to support and guide saidpairsqoi elements from said head plate for movement serially through .apredetermined endless path comprising guide members arranged to engagethe bearing sections of said elementsirom opposite sides of the saidpath, drive mechanismoperableto actuate said pairs of elements as agroup through said path, anti-friction means carried by said pairs ofelements and engaging said head plate, tools carried by said pairs of-elements and [arranged to engagework on said supper-15,; means tobodily r-elatively'shilt the head plate and work support to cause saidtools to engage anddisengage worklon said support, and mechanismautomatically operable in response to thelposition oi said toolsrelative to Work on the support for controlling operation of saidlastnentioned means. r

9. End contouring machine, a work support, an assembly comprising aplurality of pairs of elements disposed normal to said Work sup-port andeach having a plurality of vertically spaced hearing sections thereon,members intermediateeach of said bearing sections connecting theelements preach pair and pivotally connecting said pairs of elements toform therewith an endless chain, means to support and guidesaid pairs ofelements for movement serially through a predetermined endless pathcomprising fixedly mounted guide means arranged to engage predeterminedhearing sections of said elements, drive mocha:- operable to actuatesaid pairsiof elements as a group throughsaid path, tools carried bysaid pairs of elements and arranged toengage work on saidsupport, aplurality. of spacedthreadedshaits having theirasies normal to the worksupport connections between said shafts and saidasseme 75 means torotationally drive said shaits t0 asi'vgeoi 7 bodily'relatively shiftthe assembly and work support to cause said tools to engage anddisengage work or saidsupport. 10. In a contouring machine, a worksupport, a head plate overlying said work support parallel thereto, aplurality of pairs of elements disposed intermediate said plate andsupport normal theretoand each having a plurality of vertically spacedbearing sections thereon, members intermediate each of said bearingsections connecting the elements of each pair and pivotally connectingsaid pairs of elements to form therewith an endless chain, means tosupport and guide said pairs of elements from said head plate formovement serially through a predetermined endless path comprising guidemembers arranged to engage predetermined bearing sections of saidelements from at least one side of the said path, drive mechanismoperable to actuate said pairs of elements as a group through said path,anti-friction means carried by said pairs of elements and en g'agingsaid head plate, tools carried by said pairs of elements and arranged toengage work on said support, a plurality of spaced threaded shaftshaving their axes normal to the head plate, conn'ections between saidshafts and said head plate, means to rotationally drive said shafts tobodily relatively shift the head plate and work support to cause saidtools to engage and disengage work on said support, and spring urgedhold-down means carried by said head plate arranged to engage and holdwork on the support while engaged by said tools. l1. In a contouringmachine, a work support, an assembly comprising a plurality of pairs ofelements disposed normal to said work support and each having aplurality of vertically spaced bearing sections thereon, membersintermediate each of said bearing sections connecting the elements ofeach pair and pivotally connecting said pairs of elements to formtherewith an endless chain, means tosupport and guide said pairs ofelements for movement serially through a predetermined endlesspathcomprising guide members arranged to engage predetermined bearingsections of said elements from at least one side of said path, drivemechanism operable to actuate said pairs of elements as a group throughsaid path including means "connecting all of said pairs of elements,toolscarried by said pairs of elements and arranged to engage work onsaid support, a plurality of spaced threaded shafts having their axesnormal to the support, a connection between each of said shafts and saidassembly comprising a gimbal joint mounting, and means to rotationallydrive said shafts to bodily relatively shift the assembly and worksupport to cause said tools to engage and disengage work on saidsupport. '12. In a contouring machine, a work support, a head plateoverlying said Work support parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs ofelements disposed intermediate said plate and support normal thereto andeach having a plurality of vertically spaced bearing sections thereon,members intermediate each of said bearing sections connecting theelements of each pair and pivotally connecting said pairs of elements toform therewith an endless chain, means to support and guide saidpairs'of elements from said head plate for movement serially through apredetermined endless path comprising guide members arranged to engagepredetermined bearing sections of said elements from the inner and outersideof said path, drive mechanism operable to actuate said pairs ofelements as a group through said path, anti- 8 friction means carried bysaid pairs of elements and engaging said head plate, tools carried bysaid pairs of elements and arranged to engage work on said support, aplurality of spaced'threaded shafts having their axes normal to the headplate, a connection between each of said shafts and said head platecomprising 'a gimbal joint mounting, means to rotationally drivesaidshafts to bodily relatively shift the headplate and work support tocause said tools to engage and disengage work on said support,'and'hold-down means carried by said head plate arranged to engage and holddown work on the support while engaged by said-tools.

13. In a contouring machine, a work support, an assembly comprising aplurality of pairs of elements disposed normal to said work sup-port andeach having a plurality of vertically spaced bearing sections thereon,members intermediate each of said bearing sections connecting theelements of each pair and pivotally connecting said pairs of elements toform therewith an endless chain, means to support and guide said pairsof elements from said head plate for movement serially through apredetermined endless path comprising guide members arranged to engagepredetermined bearing sections of said elements from at least one sideof said path, means to bodily relatively shift the assembly and worksupport, and intercooperating means associated respectively with saidassembly and work support operable to guide the assembly and supportnormal to one another during relative bodily shifting thereof.

14. In a contouring machine, a Work support, a head plate overlying saidWork support parallel thereto, a plurality of pairs of elements disposedintermediate said plate and support normal thereto and each having aplurality of vertically spaced bearing'sections thereon, meansintermediate each of said bearing sections connecting the elements ofeach pair and pivotally connecting said pairs'of elements to formtherewith an endless chain, means to support and guide said pairs ofelements from said head plate for movement serially through apredetermined endless path comprising guide members arranged to engagepredetermined bearing sections of said elements, drive mechanismoperable to actuate said pairs of elements as a group'through said path,means to bodily relatively shift the head plate and work support, andintercooperating means associated respectively with said head plate andwork support operable to guide the head plate and support normal to oneanother during relative bodily shifting thereof.

15. In a contouring machine, a work support, an assembly comprising aplurality of pairs of elements disposed normal to said work support andeach having a plurality of vertically spaced bearing sections thereon,members intermediate each of said bearing sections connecting theelements of each pair and pivotally connecting said pairs of elements toform therewith an endless chain, means to support and guide said pairsof elements for movement serially through a predetermined endless pathcomprising guide members arranged to engage predetermined bearingsections of said elements, drive mechanism operable to actuate saidpairs of elements as a group through said path, tools carried by saidpairs of elements'and arranged to engage work on said support, aplurality of spaced threaded shafts having their axes normal to the worksupport, a connection between each of said shafts and said assemblycomprising a gimbal joint mounting, means to rotationally drive saidshafts to bodily relatively shiftthe assembly and work support to causesaid tools to engage and disengage work on said support, andintercooperating members associated with said assembly and supportoperable to guide the assembly and support normal to one v anotherduring relative bodily shifting thereof.

16. In a contouring machine, a work support, an assembly comprising aplurality of pairs of elements disposed normal-to said work support andeach having a plurality of vertically spaced hearing sections thereon,members intermediate each of said bearing sections connecting theelements of each pair and pivotally connecting said pairs of elements toform therewith anendless chain,

normal to the work support, a connection between a each of said shaftsand said assembly comprising a gimbal joint mounting, means torotationally drive said shafts to bodily relatively shift the assemblyand work support, guide means fixedly mounted about the work supportnormal thereto and cooperatively engaging bearing surfaces on saidassembly to guide the same and said support normal to one another duringrelative bodily shifting thereof.

RICHARD B. LUCKENBACH.

' REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name 1 Date 495,350Loetscher Apr. 11, 1893 732,867 Melville June 30, 1903 840,314 Gray eta1. Jan. 1,1907 860,020 Dearholt July 16, 1907 896,356 Brown Aug. 18,1908 1,137,459 Campbell Apr. 27, 1915 1,169,406 Konieczka ,Jan. 25, 19167 1,553,672: DeNorthall Sept. 15, 1925 1,667,347 Field Apr.'24, 19282,012,059 Whinery Aug. 20, 1935 2,026,109 Walters Dec. 31, 19352,216,721 Crouch Oct. 8, 1940 2,230,534 Elmer et al. f Feb. 4, 19412,311,216 Duffy Feb. 16, 1943 2,372,534 Victor Mar. 27, 1945 2,372,826 wGrob Apr. 3, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 345,611 GermanyDec. 14, 1921 440,718 Germany Feb. 14, 1927 600,766

France Nov. 20, 1935

